THE sport of National Hunt racing is in shock this week after the death of three times Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate.

I was among a number of jockeys who could have been riding him at Exeter on his last fateful run.

Naturally I had been disappointed at the weekend when I didn't get the ride, but that turned to despair when I heard that he had died of a heart attack after the Haldon Gold Cup.

Best Mate contributed hugely to jump racing, and his death is like that of One Man seven years ago in that he was so known well outside the sport.

He is a great loss, and all my colleagues in the weighing room feel for the connections. But life must go on, and I am riding this afternoon at Haydock on Racing Welfare charity day.

I'll be in Scotland this weekend, at Kelso on Saturday and Ayr on Sunday, and I will be riding the horse that I'm most looking forward to in the next few months.

Rasharrow was third in the Cheltenham Bumper last March and, apart from that race, is unbeaten in his other three starts, including his seasonal debut at Kelso last month.

Trained by Len Lungo and owned by Ashleybank Investments, he is an immensely talented horse, already one of the favourites for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

He is big and strong, and runs freely. He'll be a short price for the opening race at Ayr but I'm sure he'll go very well indeed.

Another Cheltenham prospect that I'll be riding on Sunday is Monet's Garden in a novices' chase. This is a horse that last year beat Monkerhostin, which won the Haldon Gold Cup two days ago.

He was beaten only narrowly in last winter's Rendlesham Hurdle at Kempton, but showed just how good he is by winning the Grade 2 long distance hurdle at Aintree in April.

Monet's Garden is with trainer Nicky Richards in Cumbria where he has schooled well and is in good order ahead of his first race of the season.

I would highlight one horse on Saturday at Kelso, and that is Vic The Piler. He won two of his three novice hurdle races last season, and goes into handicap company for the first time this weekend. I think he could run a big race on Saturday.

* The next racing at Haydock Park is the opening day of the North West Masters on Saturday, November 19, when the highlight is the #150,000 Betfair Chase - a race in which Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kicking King will run.

Admission to the Newton Enclosure is #8; to Tattersalls #15; to the County Enclosure #24; and to the Premier Enclosure on the top floor of the Centenary Grandstand #38.

Accompanied children under 16 enter free. Senior citizens and students, with appropriate identification, enter Tattersalls and the Newton Enclosure at half price. More details at www.haydock-park.co.uk/